Maia Loeffler

Growing up surrounded by a menagerie of pets, Maia has always loved animals. Her desire to work with Australian fauna stemmed from volunteering as a teenager at JABS Joey and Bat Sanctuary.

Maia’s passion for wildlife conservation led her to complete a Bachelor of Science majoring in Ecology and Zoology at the University of Melbourne. During her degree she completed a year of domestic exchange at the University of Western Australia, where she participated in various reptile, small-mammal, and marine fauna surveys. In her final year of university, she undertook a research project on artificial habitat design for threatened species living in urban environments, building a framework to guide more effective artificial habitat use. After graduating, Maia volunteered in the Maldives, first as a research assistant with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, and then at the Olive Ridley Project sea-turtle rescue centre. Her time in the Maldives consolidated her passion for both hand-on research and animal husbandry.

Maia is very excited to build on her ecology and conservation skills while working at the CEC, and is particularly looking forward to expanding her local flora and fauna identification and exploring the Otways.